[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5851-H5853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CHILD CARE IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2020

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 8326) to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act 
of 1965 to require eligible recipients of certain grants to develop a 
comprehensive economic development strategy that directly or indirectly 
increases the accessibility of affordable, quality child care, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 8326

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Child Care is Economic 
     Development Act of 2020'' or the ``CED Act''.

     SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.

       (a) In General.--Section 302(a)(3)(A) of the Public Works 
     and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
     3162(a)(3)(A)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' before ``balances resources''; and
       (2) by inserting ``, and directly or indirectly increases 
     the accessibility of affordable, quality child care'' after 
     ``sound management of development''.
       (b) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
     shall issue guidance on implementing the amendments made by 
     subsection (a) to include the accessibility of affordable, 
     quality child care in a comprehensive economic development 
     strategy developed under section 302 of the Public Works and 
     Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3162).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. Rouzer) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.


                             General Leave

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include any extraneous material on H.R. 8326.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8326, the Child Care is 
Economic Development Act, or the CED Act.
  Access to childcare is essential to economic development but it is 
often ignored in planning. This legislation changes that by making sure 
that local Economic Development Districts consider the availability and 
accessibility of affordable, quality childcare when creating their 
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
  Job creation is an important part of economic development. But doing 
so without considering childcare leaves an enormous blind spot. For 
many communities large and small, access to affordable childcare 
remains one of the

[[Page H5852]]

largest barriers to job recruitment. If people cannot find quality and 
affordable childcare, they may not relocate to a region for a new job 
no matter how good the job may be.
  A report from the Center for American Progress found that more than 
half of American households live in a childcare desert. This is 
especially problematic in smaller and rural communities where the rate 
of families with childcare deserts grows to three in five households 
without adequate childcare.
  If our economic development plans don't consider childcare, we are 
limiting the type of workforce that is available to compete for jobs 
and limiting our economic development and competitiveness. Jobs that 
don't work for working families don't work for our communities.
  The childcare crisis in our country has been further exacerbated by 
COVID-19. As many as 4.5 million childcare slots may be permanently 
lost due to COVID-19, further reducing the limited supply of affordable 
childcare nationwide. With declining childcare options, many families 
are forced to reduce working hours or leave the workforce altogether, 
oftentimes leaving women with the greatest share household duties.
  Limited childcare availability has for years reduced women's 
participation in the workforce, and the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed 
that even further. In September alone, four times as many women as men 
left the labor force--over 865,000 women in one month alone. And women 
and children who have remained in the workforce report reducing their 
working hours by 20 to 50 percent to provide childcare services to 
their families.
  Left unchecked, the childcare crisis, coupled with the COVID-19 
pandemic, will reverse decades of progress for women's equity and 
opportunity in the workforce, including reducing pay equity and 
opportunity gaps.
  While there is a lot we need to do to address the childcare crisis in 
our country, the CED Act provides us a first step forward by 
recognizing the intrinsic connection between economic development and 
access to childcare. It allows communities to identify their needs and 
strategies and forces an integration of early childhood needs into 
broader economic plans.
  I am proud to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of 
my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                              Committee on Financial Services,

                                Washington, DC, November 13, 2020.
     Hon. Peter A Defazio,
     Chairman, House Committee on Transportation and 
         Infrastructure, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R.8326, the 
     ``Child Care is Economic Development Act of 2020.'' In order 
     to permit H.R. 8326 to proceed expeditiously to the House 
     Floor, I agree to forgo formal consideration of the bill.
       The Committee on Financial Services takes this action to 
     forego formal consideration of H.R. 8326 with our mutual 
     understanding that, by foregoing formal consideration of H.R. 
     8326, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject 
     matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our 
     Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as 
     this or similar legislation moves forward with regard to any 
     matters in the Committee's jurisdiction. I appreciate your 
     commitment to work with the Committee to address any 
     outstanding issues as the bill is considered in the Senate. 
     The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of 
     an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this or similar legislation that 
     involves the Committee's jurisdiction and request your 
     support for any such request.
       Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter 
     confirming this understanding, and I would ask that a copy of 
     our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the 
     Congressional Record during Floor consideration of H.R. 8326.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Maxine Waters,
     Chairwoman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives,


               Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

                                Washington, DC, November 13, 2020.
     Hon. Maxine Waters,
     Chairwoman, Committee on Financial Services,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairwoman Waters, Thank you for your letter regarding 
     H.R 8326, the Childcare is Economic Development Act of 2020. 
     I appreciate your decision to waive formal consideration of 
     the bill.
       I agree that the Committee on Financial Services has valid 
     jurisdictional claims to certain provisions in this important 
     legislation, and I further agree that by forgoing formal 
     consideration of the bill, the Committee on Financial 
     Services is not waiving any jurisdiction over any relevant 
     subject matter. Additionally, I will support the appointment 
     of conferees from the Committee on Financial Services should 
     a House-Senate conference be convened on this legislation. 
     Finally, this exchange of letters will be included in the 
     Congressional Record when the bill is considered on the 
     floor.
       Thank you again, and I look forward to continuing to work 
     collaboratively with the Committee on Financial Services on 
     this important issue.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Peter A. DeFazio,
                                                            Chair.

  Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8326 ensures that recipients of Economic 
Development Administration grants consider childcare availability as 
they develop comprehensive economic development strategies.
  These strategies currently incorporate various considerations, and 
this legislation would ensure childcare availability is also 
considered, which obviously helps women to contribute to the workforce.
  I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.

                              {time}  1600

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 8326 will ensure that 
childcare availability is incorporated in the economic development 
strategies that are required for EDA grants.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary, 
Homeland, and Budget Committees, and Founding Chair of the 
Congressional Children's Caucus, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8326, 
the ``Child Care is Economic Development Act''.
  First and foremost, I wish to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Abby 
Finkenauer, for her leadership on this vital, bipartisan piece of 
legislation.
  H.R. 8326 requires grant applicants for certain public works and 
economic development projects to describe in their comprehensive 
economic development strategy how they will increase the accessibility 
of affordable, quality child care.
  By doing so, this bill makes it easier for child care to be an 
essential part of plans for local economic development projects.
  The child care industry has served as a crucial backbone to the 
United States' economy for decades, and it, too, continues to be rocked 
by the devastating effects of the coronavirus.
  Mr. Speaker, over the last few weeks, we have seen a tremendous surge 
in the number of coronavirus cases across the United States.
  As of today, health authorities have identified more than 11 million 
COVID-19 cases throughout the United States since the start of the 
pandemic in January.
  Just last week, my home state of Texas surpassed 1 million cases and 
reported over 20,000 related deaths.
  At the county level, Harris County, which includes my district, has 
reported more than 175,000 cases and over 2,360 related deaths.
  Before the pandemic, Texas had more than 11,000 child care 
operations.
  Yet, as a result of this disease, that number has reduced 
dramatically as these facilities have had to permanently close their 
doors.
  According to a survey conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center, 
nearly two-thirds (63 percent of parents across the United States had 
difficulty finding child care amidst COVID-19.
  Furthermore, about 47 percent of parents are concerned they won't be 
able to afford child care when they can return to the workforce.
  As we seek to regain control over this virus and poise our economy to 
rebound from the effects of the coronavirus, these closures will, 
without a doubt, affect parents and families who need to return to work 
yet no longer have a child care provider.
  Child care facilities provide an immense and unquestionable public 
value.
  Workers in every industry rely on child care centers to provide 
capable care for their children, helping them juggle both parenting and 
employment responsibilities.
  The child care industry is even more essential to single parent 
households.
  In 2019, 15.76 million children lived with a single mother and 
approximately 3.23 million children lived with a single father.
  For these millions of families, child care is a lifeline.

[[Page H5853]]

  I have been a long-standing advocate for the child care industry 
because I understand the challenges many working families face when it 
comes to obtaining reliable, affordable, and quality child care.
  Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have supported numerous 
initiatives that strengthen the viability of the child care sector.
  Most recently, I supported:
  H.R. 7327, the ``Child Care for Economic Recovery Act'';
  H.R. 7027, the ``Child Care is Essential Act''; and
  H.R. 7909, the ``Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers are Safe 
Act''.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand here today, voicing my support for H.R. 8326 
because it serves as a vital component to our nation's economic 
reopening strategy.
  According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, approximately 50 percent 
of parents who have not yet returned to work cite childcare as a reason 
they have not returned.
  By passing H.R. 8326 today, we have the opportunity expand access to 
quality child care, so that individuals who are pursuing opportunities 
with these public works projects will not have to worry about choosing 
between employment opportunities and child care.
  I urge all Members to join me in voting for H.R. 8326, the ``Child 
Care is Economic Development Act.''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cuellar). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) 
that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 8326.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________